When Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer wrote the words and music to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” way back in 1908, neither one of them had ever been to a professional baseball game. The pair didn’t mind making some bucks, though, and were surely pleased when the tune caught on. 

If they were writing the song today, of course, they’d probably charge Cracker Jacks a product-placement fee for giving it a mention. Frankly, Cracker Jack brand owner Frito-Lay should probably give Major League Baseball a bit of earnings since a good chunk of the product’s sales likely come from soft-hearted baseball fans who want their kids to experience the game like it was in the old days.

In those olden days, of course, Major League games were played during the day so getting sugared up with Cracker Jacks wouldn’t keep anybody up into the night. That didn’t happen till 1935 when the Cincinnati Reds shone a light down on a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Now, of course, most professional games are played at night in order to rake in more dollars. Some of those games, especially in the postseason, can go well into the night.

And if you’re having trouble staying awake for the ninth inning, Cracker Jack is about to introduce a product that can help you out, with an extra twist that certainly snapped a few folks to pay attention. A hue and cry has been raised over Cracker Jack'D, which includes a "Cocoa Java" flavor that's just rolling out to stores. Cue a PR kerfuffle — not what Frito-Lay execs had in mind as the iconic brand celebrates its centenary.Continue reading...

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Does $3 million for one 30-second spot sound like a lot of money to promote your brand during this year’s Super Bowl? Well, if you cram two of your products into one ad, like Diamond Foods is planning, then it’s only $1.5 million per brand.

Where Budweiser might buy separate ads for its flagship lager and its light beer, Diamond is touting two different snacks, Pop Secret and Emerald Nuts, in the same spot. Though AdAge quoted a marketing consultant who scoffed at the idea, saying it would dilute the message of both brands, the two-for-one deal isn’t as outrageous as the ad itself – featuring a zany dolphin trainer imploring a raucous marine park crowd, “Let’s get aquatic!” – plans to be.Continue reading...

Cracker Jack was invented in the late 1800s, but it didn’t take long until fans were singing "Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack..." after the caramel popcorn snack food was immortalized in the immortal 1908 song, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Traditionally, the song is sung during the seventh inning stretch at many games.

This venerable brand, famous for the small prize included in each package, is still selling at baseball parks, according to The New York Times. At Fenway Park in Boston, built in 1912 and the oldest Major League ballpark in the U.S., over 1,000 bags of Cracker Jack are typically sold during a game.Continue reading...